Signs of botulism - a pretty dangerous disease

Botulism is a dangerous toxic-infectious disease with a mortality rate of up to 60% of the number of cases. The causative agent of the disease - the microbial Clostridium botullini - lives mainly in the soil, from where it is transferred to food or an open wound. In this regard, distinguish the following types of botulism: food, wound, children and undiagnosed etiology. In an environment conducive to the development of the disease, the pathogen begins to produce botulinum toxin, a poison that enters the top three of the most powerful on the planet.

Signs of the disease

The disease develops very quickly (from 18 hours to 5 days), and the signs of botulism are pronounced sharply. Their manifestation usually begins from the side of the digestive tract - severe nausea, profuse vomiting, loose stools. Then these symptoms are replaced by severe pain in the abdomen, a feeling of raspiraniya in it and constipation. Simultaneously with them or immediately after them, neurological signs of botulism appear. Patients are tormented by vision disorders - the inability to examine objects, double vision. The pupils of the eyes are dilated and hardly react to light. Some people may have strabismus, different pupil sizes and nystagmus - uncontrolled movements of high frequency eyes (running eyes). The patients experience severe dryness in the mouth. The mucous nasopharynx is dry, while the pharynx is colored in a bright red color, which can give an erroneous diagnosis of angina. The body becomes sluggish, the face acquires the likeness of a mask, the temperature rises to 39-40C. On the second day, the main neurological signs of botulism are observed. Botulinum toxin affects the occipital muscles, which lose the ability to support the head, and it must be held with hands. The weakness of the intercostal muscles affects the breathing, it becomes hardly noticeable. Despite all these signs of botulism, the patients completely remain sensitive.

Diagnosis of the disease

Even with such pronounced symptoms it is difficult to determine that this is botulism. Diagnosis of the disease is based on factors such as eating food that can be contaminated with Clostridium botullini, increasing muscle weakness, lack of fever, dry mouth, eye disorders, stool retention and respiratory failure. A more accurate diagnosis is made after examination of feces, vomit, tissue materials of wounds and suspected food. For the study, white mice are attracted to whom a liquid is injected, which is a mixture of the blood serum of the patient with anti-butulinic serum. At the first suspicion of botulism the patient must be hospitalized. For recovery, it is important to introduce antitoxic serum, gastric and intestinal flushing (enema), and antibiotic therapy.

Prevention of disease

Botulism, prevention of which is difficult due to the good resistance of the pathogen to environmental conditions, poses a great danger. It is recommended to follow the basic rules of hygiene and household life to reduce the risk of disease. Homemade canned food, mushrooms, salted and smoked fish, sausages are the most likely breeding ground for Clostridium botullini, so you need to observe the conditions for their processing, cooking and storage. For the prevention of wound botulism, the primary treatment of the wound is important.